The mood in the eye ward of Amritsar Medical College Hospital was sombre. Its elderly patients from the blinding camp at Ghuman said their life was finished.

The mood in the eye ward of Amritsar Medical College Hospital was sombre. Its elderly patients from the blinding camp at Ghuman said their life was finished.

Sitting alone on his bed was Dalip Singh, 70. “I have a family back home but I a sit here alone because they are all have to be at work. We are poor people, who afford expensive treatment, so we went to the camp with a lot of hope but never knew this will happen,” said the man from Amritsar district.

Another Amritsar district patient, Joginder Singh, also 70, said at least he could see a little before the surgery. “After the operation, there is no end to my woes. I do not know what happened. We were told that was a free camp and we signed up,” he said.Activists want tough action

The activists of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti who played a key role in finding the patients and taking them to the deputy commissioner now ask for tough action against the camp’s negligent organisers.

“It is shocking whatever has happened. There can be nearly 50 people walking blind. We’ll identify all and try to bring them to Amritsar. Some people complaining of complications after the camp have contacted us,” said samiti activist Gurdev Singh.

The activists have been at the hospital all through, by the side of the patients and their relatives.